Title: Plan C
Chapter 1 – Change is in the Air

Summary: SQL to Plan B. Raising a daughter on his own wasn't something he wanted long term but as Kelly and Erin start to draw closer both wonder if this new step-family will work; best friend Matt and father Benny want to help make it happen. New parenting challenges, conflict, tension, danger and a new threat work to pull them all apart.

Disclaimer: Chicago Fire and its characters are the property of Dick Wolfe, NBC and….well sadly not me

A/N: So while my dear muse Alice has a few other ideas for this couple, this was the most logical choice since we didn't want too much time to pass between Plan B and its sequel (but we do hope you all liked the little angsty Kelly/Erin flicet-Ending the Feud?). This story is going to challenge me and my muse with the trials of a step family with two busy people in dangerous jobs (so lots of angsty relationship stuff!). Also I NEVER saw Shay/Severide as lovers (I respect who they made her) so while Kelly does miss Shay and there will be lots of Shay flashbacks in this, please note they were always the bestest of friends but that's it, no romantic feelings. And this story is going to focus on Kelly/Erin so if you don't like the couple please do not read and then flame-that's disrespectful (and dumb lol). Alright….lets go and enjoy!

'My family,' Severide's mind whispers as he stares at the somewhat crudely drawn picture now displayed prominently on the fridge. His eyes next travel down toward the activity calendar and he has his first parent/teacher meeting at the end of the week to discuss his daughter's first week.

As he wanders out of the kitchen, his mind switches to the coming days and what it'll be like for her to come home to…well not him.

'She's been doing that right now,' both Pauline, Shay's mother and his father Benny had reminded him. 'That routine won't change. Only what she does during the day will.'

And for that he's grateful; without them all he knows he'd be sunk. He at first wondered if Shay's parents might resent the fact that his profession takes him away from his daughter a good bulk of the time but in the almost five years that he and Shay and Aurora had been around her family and his, he had proven that despite his job and the dangers that come with it, he's a dedicated and loving father. Caring…doting…adoring of his precious little girl. In abundance!

Casey's sister and family…Casey himself had helped so much and without that bond and support at work and at home he knows things would be a lot more dismal; for him and his daughter – Casey's goddaughter. But as he looks at a picture of him, Shay and Aurora he knows that going forward he doesn't want to do this all alone and that Aurora will need a woman in her life.

He knows that no one will ever replace Shay in the natural 'mother' category but he doesn't want to just go on casual dates for the rest of his life either. As he passes by Aurora's room and glances in, he can't help but smile as his daughter sleeps soundly in her bed with her Dora doll tucked in her grasp. Severide's lips stifle a small chuckle at the Lady 'Gaga' butterfly toy that Erin had bought; a smile lingering for a few seconds longer as he pulls back and then heads for his own bedroom, Casey's room dark an hour ago.

Erin…I like her…I'm attracted to her but…dating's one thing and he knows if it was only the two of them involved he could be a lot more carefree. But now with his daughter he has to be a lot more careful. Bringing women over for…there is no other woman…I like Erin…I just…will she want to be a step-mom full time? That topic of conversation hadn't come up because it was too soon…way too soon, but is has to happen if they're to continue to grow together in their relationship.

But when…when would be the time to even broach the subject? And how? Wish Shay was here…she'd know exactly!

With that sobering thought in his mind he slides into bed and turns off the light; his mind a cacophony of muddled thoughts and anxious emotions.

XXXXXXXX

"You look tired," Casey comments the next morning.

"I am," Severide admits as he tries to swallow back a yawn. "Today will be the first real test. We're both working, she's in school and then…"

"But at least Christie or Pauline will pick her up right? She's used to that."

"Yeah I just…" Severide's voice pauses as they both hear the pitter patter of little bare feet heading toward them and look down to see Aurora enter the kitchen and head straight into her father's waiting arms. "Morning squirt," he greets her with a kiss as he nuzzles her warm neck.

Her arms tighten around his neck as he nips at her neck, eliciting a small squeal as she looks at him and then gently pinches his stubbled cheek.

"Subbled cheek daddy."

"Should I shave?" Severide asks as Aurora's head bobs up and down; both men laughing. "Are you ready for school today?"

"No. I want to say with you," she whimpers as her arms encircle his neck once more.

"STay," he whispers as he looks at her with a small frown. "But daddy and Uncle Matt have to go to work today. So you're going to go to school and then Gramma Pauline or Auntie Christie will be picking you up okay?"

"No daddy. Stay with you," she corrects herself as her wide blue eyes want to water.

"I know but daddy's going to be busy at work okay? So let's go and get dressed and Uncle Matt will make us all breakfast," Severide looks at Casey with a smirk as Casey shrugs. Despite her protesting, Severide knows he has to remain firm. "You'll get to see Belle and Jasmine again today. Your friends," he reminds her of the two little girls she had met at the park and then clung to on the first day. "And there's Kenny James," he mentions Herrmann's youngest son in the same pre-school. "Lots of friends."

"I want to stay with you."

"I know but you can't," he huffs as he starts to dress her for the day. He pokes her naked side and then smiles when she squeals and tries to run away.

"Nekid daddy," she laughs as she starts to dance around in only her underwear.

Severide watches in amusement before he gets her to stop and stand still long enough for him to get her into her little jeans and socks. "Okay so…about that hair. Well I think…maybe a ponytail?" He asks as she shrugs; her arms going up as he pulls a little shirt over her head and then back down when it's on. He tries to sound positive about the day ahead but knows inside that his own heart will ache with pangs of worry and concern. At least when she was with Pauline or Christie, even his father or Cindy Herrmann he was relatively assured that they'd keep her safe. But at school? This was a whole new area of worry for him.

"There. You'll be the prettiest girl in class," he praises as he kisses the top of her head. He looks at her little downcast expression but has been warned not to give in and it'll take a few days…maybe by the end of the week until she felt comfortable…maybe even excited to be going to see her friends. But it would happen.

"Good lookin' pony tail," Casey smirks as they reenter the kitchen.

Severide looks down to see the hairdo slightly off kilter and just shakes his head. "I need a woman to do this."

"I think Shay would scold you for that stereotypical comment."

"Kick my a…yeah she would," he quickly catches himself as he plops Aurora down onto the nearby chair and then redoes her hairstyle – getting Casey's final approval. "Better?"

"Better," he firmly nods and both laugh.

Severide explains that Gramma Pauline would be here shortly to pick her up and take her to school and that he'd see her later tonight. "Just like we always do okay? Except today you'll get to spend time with your friends and then you'll tell me all about it later."

Aurora wasn't going to have it. Instead of agreeing, she starts to cry and Severide's heart sinks. Before any of them can enjoy any kind of breakfast, there's a knock at the door and it's time to get the day into full swing. Casey hurries to open it, letting Pauline into the emotional fray as Severide tries to calm his daughter down.

"She just started," Casey tells Pauline in truth. "She doesn't want to go to school."

"That's typical. Let me deal with this. You two go."

"Thanks."

Severide stands up with Aurora in his grasp and carries her to Pauline, giving the older woman a hug while he hands off his whimpering daughter. "Bye sweetheart," he whispers as he kisses the top of her head and then with Pauline's kind urging leaves their apartment.

"Hate hearing her cry," he admits to Casey as they head for the elevator. On the ride to Firehouse 51 they talk more about the week ahead, Casey asking if Aurora's teacher was single and then blushing when Severide asked if he's interested. As soon as they enter the firehouse, they go their separate ways to get ready for the day, Severide's mind hoping it'll go fast.

XXXXXXXX

"Watch yourselves in here!"

"Smoke's thick!"

"Casey, behind you!"

"Capp! Newhouse take the father!"

"Otis, help Herrmann with the second floor!"

Boden listens to a flurry of frantic activity from his men inside the burning structure while he keeps a careful eye on the smoke direction to make sure his teams don't get trapped. But thankfully over the next ten minutes each member of Firehouse 51 slowly trickles out either with or without a trapped survivor from the overcrowded rooming House.

"Damn…that was too close," Severide huffs as he pulls off his gloves and heads over toward Casey, gratefully accepting a bottle of water and then using some of it to cool off his face. Just as he's about to finish the rest of the cool, soothing contents, he watches a familiar car approaching and can't help but smile as Erin Lindsay gets out and slowly heads toward him with an inviting smile; her dimples always making him go weak in the knees.

"Hey," Severide greets with a friendly smile of his own as she stops a few meters away; her partner Jay Halstead heading toward Boden. "What's going on?"

"Actually had a call about this address and we pull up…you beat us to it."

"Drug House?"

"One of the tenants. Did they all make it out?"

"Yeah, they're over there," Severide gestures toward the little huddled mass to the right of the large firetrucks. "So uh…"

"Erin!"

"Duty calls. I'll let you know what happens later."

"Okay."

Severide watches her turn and head toward her partner as Casey nears his friend. "That was smooth."

"Have you asked her out yet?"

"Does a coffee text count?" He replies with a small huff.

"You asked or she asked?"

"She asked and I suggested just the two of us."

"What date did you set?"

"I uh…I didn't yet. Erin…she's…if it was just me it'd be no big deal but with Aurora…I don't know."

"I think she's shown to us all at the picnic that she's very fond of Aurora and I think Aurora likes her too," Casey mentions in truth as Severide nods. "She'll say yes if you tell her the date for a formal date."

"See…that's what worries me."

"You want to be turned down?" Casey asks with a small snicker as Severide's lips purse and he growls. "What then?"

"Shay and I talked about…you know both of us moving on later in life and…her with her partner and me with mine and still being that big happy family sharing a side by side house or…or something for Aurora's sake but now…now it seems odd to think about that without her."

"She'd never begrudge you, you know that right? In fact she'd want a strong positive role model in her life and you know she liked Erin."

"Shay thought she was hot, is that the same thing?" Severide retorts with a groan as Casey slaps him on the back. "How do I know she'll wanna stick around for the long run?"

"Ask. That's not hard right?"

"Oh yeah asking a woman her feelings is easy," he sighs as they both start to pack up and head back to Firehouse 51. After he packs up his gear, Severide slides into the front seat, his mind starting to think about Casey's words and then his own feelings, especially long term. But since he's already committed to the coffee date, he tells himself he has to follow through with it and just to…ask some pertinent questions and go from there.

"Right…" Severide huffs to himself as he slowly wanders into the halls of 51 and then toward his office. As much as he wants to get Erin's thoughts about her wanting to stick around for the future long term, with him and his daughter, he doesn't want to go into their first official 'date' and scare her off. Damn I hate being conflicted!

"She might say no…" he muses as he looks at a picture of him, Shay and Aurora and reaches for it. "Wish you were here…tell me what to do…just be here."

He leans back in his chair and let's his mind start to wander; finally settling on a happy memory of him and Erin at the picnic and letting that thought soothe his worried mind. However, that's short lived as he gets a call from Pauline about his daughter.

XXXXXXXX

At the same time, Kelly Severide isn't the only one thinking about long term future goals; to say that Erin Lindsay's mind wasn't distracted by it also would be lying.

"You still with me?"

Erin looks over at her partner and nods and then frowns. "His story doesn't add up."

"Which part?"

"The first part," she retorts with a huff as they head back to the car.

She had watched the large red squad 3 truck pull away; the image of the handsome rescue Lieutenant always teasing her with delightfully naughty thoughts. They had always been friendly when around each other and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't attracted by him physically. But she also knows with his daughter, things are a bit more complicated. He'll want someone around to also be a mother figure to her…help her grow and take care of part of the parenting and womanly stuff that he doesn't want to deal with and can't pass off to her birth mother.

She and Shay had always been friendly toward each other also and when the feisty paramedic was so tragically killed she felt the loss the same as the rest; minus the plutonic closeness of course that Kelly did.

"What's up?" Jay Halstead presses as they head back to the precinct as he catches her looking down at her phone.

"Uh…" she pauses as she looks at the text once more and then back up. Kelly Severide had agreed to a coffee 'date' but didn't say when and she didn't want to push. "Nothing…just checking on something."

"Or…someone?" He presses; her face unable to hold back a small smile. His face frowns but it's not lost on either of them…any of them who she's thinking about. "A single father maybe?"

"Let's just concentrate on the case. So back to Ivan's statement…" her voice trails off as she tries to force herself to get her head back to work. But the more minutes that tick past without him confirming a date she wonders if he is into them as much as she had hoped he was.

She enters the precinct with a glum expression nearing the check-in desk and catching the eye of Trudy Platt.

"Bad call?"

"Mind's distracted," she replies with a weak smile.

"Bad call," Platt retorts as Erin smiles. "Well hopefully this next distraction will be better. You have a visitor," Platt points toward the bench a few meters behind them.

Halstead pauses as Erin turns to see a man stand up and familiar face offer her a welcoming smile as he slowly approaches with his arms opening for a hug; Halstead and Platt trading wondering glances.

"Hey Erin."

"Randy. Y-your back?"

XXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry to call you off shift like this," Pauline apologizes as Severide hurries into the living room where his distraught daughter was; Casey waiting in the entranceway. "She was okay this morning but when you weren't there to pick her up after school, she got sad and upset and hasn't stopped crying."

"Dadda," Aurora whimpers as Severide gathers her up in his arms.

"Aww sweetheart shhh now," Severide tries to soothe as he gently bounces his daughter in his grasp. He kisses her tear stained cheek and then gently wipes away a few tears. "What happened today?"

But Aurora doesn't answer; instead she buries her head in her father's shoulder and hugs him tightly.

"Did you have fun with your friends today?"

"Uh huh…" she whimpers as she looks at him sadly.

"So…you were sad that daddy wasn't there when you were finished school?"

"Uh uh…" she sniffles as her tears start to dry.

"I know you wanted me there like yesterday but you know we talked about this right?" Severide tries to explain to his daughter as he sits down on the couch with her on his lap. "I had to work today and so did Uncle Matt. And a lot of the days during the week, gramma Pauline or Auntie Christie will be picking you up okay?"

"No daddy, want you to pick me up."

"I know baby girl," he sighs as he kisses the top of her head and gently bounces her on his lap. "But I can't on days I'm working," he reconfirms; knowing that he has to be as strong as possible. "It'll get better," he concludes as he gives her a squeeze. "I gotta go back to work."

"No daddy!" Aurora looks up in a near panic as he arms tighten around him once more. But in the interim, Casey had called his sister and asked if her and Violet could come and help Pauline with Aurora while Don was out of town on an overnight business trip. Both of them know that they wouldn't be able to impose every single time but tonight it was a literal God-send.

"Hey squirt!" Violet rushes up to Aurora who looks at her with a weak smile. It doesn't take long before she's distracted, affording Severide the opportunity to get back to work.

"I'll see you tonight," Severide whispers as he kisses his daughter and then gestures for Casey to get going. "Thanks," he offers to his friend as they head back out.

"She'll get through it. Even Cindy told you that the first week would be the toughest."

"I know. I'm thinking maybe I should have taken Boden up on that offer to take this week off but um…but I thought if I don't get her used to it now then I'd make it worse," he groans as he rubs his face and then looks out the window with a heavy frown. "I don't know…maybe I'm not doing this right."

"I think you're doing a great job," Casey tells his friend in truth.

"Thanks."

"And I think you should set that coffee date."

"Thanks."

Both of them trade a chuckle as they reach Firehouse 51 and then head inside. One more call to a routine traffic accident but the muchly needed work distraction does little to ease Severide's agitated mind about his daughter's first week of school.

"I'm uh…gonna drop by 21 and then pick up Aurora. I'll see you at home."

"She's gonna say yes," Casey grins as Severide turns and heads back into the parking lot.

As he drives toward precinct 21 he tries to go over a little in his head what he'll say and then internally berates himself for being so nervous and feeling like an amateur at this. Shay would so kick my ass…he chuckles as he stops the car and then heads inside.

"I hope she says yes."

A/N: And we're off…so unlike 'Ending the Feud' this story will develop the relationships more slowly and despite a few little hiccups with characters and situations our couple is always end game b/c I'm Lindseride all the way! (you can trust me on that). So already setting up a few emotional conflicts (b/c you know I love the road to be tough but the ending to be sweet!) to come but there will also be some fun stuff for our little burgeoning family and I hope you all liked the start to this. Lots a head. But as with anything I'm always nervous about the first post so please do review before you go and let me know if you liked it and want more and thanks so much!